
Oass_"EJI3JL 



CONSTITUTION 

6 7 / 

OF THE 

ff $ f 

Betoocrattc tofociafioit 



COUNTY OF GLOUCESTER, 

I N THE 

State of New-Jersey j 

TO WATCH OVER. AND DEFEND THE LIBERTY" OF THE 

PEOPLE ON THE TRUE PRINCIPLES 

OF DEMOCRACY. 

Also, 
' mode of settling differences by Arbitration. 

TO WHICH IS ADDED, 

AN ADDRESS 

To the Inhabitants of said County, 



TRENTON: 
PRINTED BY WILSON fc? BLACK WELL, 

PHJNBTSS 9 BJOKSZLLEBS, & STATIONERS* 

1S03. 



AT a special Meeting of the Democratic 
Association of the County of Gloucester, held 
at the house of Joseph Heppard, in JVoodbu- 
ry, on the \%th day of April, 1803, Ordered, 
That 1000 Copies of the Constitution of the 
Association, with an Address be printed, and 
distributed by the Committees of the respec- 
tive Townships, among the Citizens of said 
County. 



r 



Constitution, &c- 



JL HE objects of this Aflbciation are, to in- 
veftigate the means of promoting the happinefs of man- 
kind, to point out the defeats in the laws of our coun- 
try, and fugged fuch amendments and fuch nevv laws 
as may be deemed beneficial, to notice as well encroach- 
ments on the rights of the people, as fuch meafures as 
tend to weaken or deifroy the conilitution of this State, 
or of the United States, aid to communicate valuable 
and ufeful information, to difcufs all ufeful and inter- 
esting fubjects, to promote morality and virtue, to 
ftrengthen thofe benevolent ties whichbind us together, 
and to affift each other in all laudable defrgns :...For 
accomplishing thefe purpofes, the following Articles 
are adopted : 

Article iff.. The Aflbciation fhall confift of an un- 
limited number of members, who refide in the county 
aforefaid, and the ftated meetings (hall be four in eve- 
ry year, viz. on the fourth day of March, the laif Mon- 
day in Auguit, the third Monday in Oclober, and the 
firit Monday in January. 

Art. a. The officers of the AfTociation {hall confift of 
a Prefident, Vice-Prtiident, Secretary, Treafurer, and 
a Committee of correfpondence, who {hall be elected 
at the Mated meeting in March in every year. 

Art. 2' The Prelident ihall prelide at the meetings of the 
aflbciation, regulate the debates, determine queftions 
of order, and in cafe of an equality of votes in any bu- 
iinefs he fhall have a calling vote, ha mall fubferibe all 
acts of the aflbciation, and may call a fpecial meeting. 
The Vice-Preiident, in the abfence of the Prefident 
fhall exerciie all his powers and authority, and if they 
are both abfent at any meeting of the aiTociation a 
chairman may be elected, pro tern. 



The Secretary fliall keep true minutes of the pro- 
ceedings of the aflociation, and record them in a book 
provided for that purpofe. 

The Treafurer fliall receive and account for all the 
monies of the afTociation, and pay alt orders figned by 
the PreMdent and counter figned by the Secretary. 

The Committee of correfponder.ee fliall coniift of two 
or more in each townfhip, and fliall collecl fuch politi- 
cal or other information as may be beneficial to the in- 
ftitution, and correfpor.d with fimUar f< cieties, that 
are or may be formed in this ftate, or elfe where, for the 
purpofe of difTcminatinjEJ the genuine principles of jus- 
tice, liberty, and the inherent rights of man ; and in 
cafe of a ftate meeting) to appoint delegates to attend 
the fame. 

Art. 4. Every meeting of the afTociation fliall be tonfti- 
tutedby calling the roll, and entering on the minute! 
the names of the members pre fent, after which the bu« 
fineis.fliali be performed in the following order: 

ill The minutes of the preceding meeting fliall be 
read, and corrected if neceflary. 

a. The reports of committees fliall be called for, 

3. Communications fliall be prefented. 

4. New bufinefs, if any, propofed. 

5. N© debate fliall be entered into, or queflion put 
on any motion, uideis it be feconded. 

6. In cafe of divifton on any iuhjeet of debate, it 
fiiail be decided by a majority of votes, and the yeas 
and nays fliall be entered on the minutes, if demanded 
by any five members. 

Art. 5. Whenever any public meafure fhall appear to 
the afjpciation fufhciently interefling to be canvafsed 
in the Newlpapers, or otherwife, a committee fliall be 
appointed to write on that iubject, and if the object be 
very important a^l preiling, the committee may pub- 
liih without the iandtion of the aflbciation. 

Art. 6. New members may be admitted at either of 
the itated meetings of the aflbciation, or any 1j eeial 
meet ng called by the Prefident, or Vice-rVelident, 
provided the perfon applying for ad.niuun be re com- 



mended by a majority of the committee of correfpon- 
dence of the towhftiip in which he refides, and approv- 
ed by a majority of the members prefent. 

An. 7. Every perfon who fhall fubfcribe this confti- 
tution, lhall pay to the Treafurer the fum of fifty cents, 
and (liall at the ftated meeting in October, pay annual- 
ly the fum of twenty-five cents to i'upport the funds, 
which (hall be applied to the promotion of political 
knowledge, or fuch other ufeful information as they 
ill a 1 1 direct. 

Art* 8. No member {hall be expelled except it be 
for diforderly conduct, or holding fcntiments contrary 
to the principles of this conftiuition, and in either cafe 
it ruuft be dUie at a general meeting, and by a plura- 
lity of votes of the members preferit^but any member 
may withdraw his name by an application, either ver- 
bally or in writing, at any one of the ftated meetings. 



AN ASSOCIATION 

For settling Differences by Arbitration, 



1VK the fubferibers, citizens of Gloueefter county, 
in order to avoid the great expence, time and trouble, 
attending on law-iuits, and to difcourage contention, 
animofity, broils, malice, and hatred, between indivi- 
duals, between families, and in neighborhoods, and as 
much as in us lies, to promote peace, harmony, friend- 
fhip, love, and goodwill amongft mankind, Severally 
promife arid engage, that in all cafes of debt, alterca- 
tion, or difpute, amongft ourfelves or our neighbors, 
we will ule our utnioft influence to have the fame fet- 
tled by an amicable reference to men equally feJecled 
by each party, in preference to the uiual courfe of 
law, and in order to encourage fo judicious, fo laudable 



and fo chrtftian-like mode of adjudication, we promife 
to aid and affifl: each other when applied to, in advice 
as to the mode of proceedure in {fating our de- 
mands, and in the leleclion of fuitable men for arbitra- 
tors, in erder to carry into effec"l the gooddefign here- 
by intended. 



To the Citizens of Gloucester County. 

Fellow Citizens, 

VV E conceive it our duty, at this important 
period of time, to call your attention, to the ftate of 
political parties in the United States, and more par- 
ticularly in this State, and to facts, which clearly d#- 
inondrate the intentions and ultimate end contempla- 
ted by the contending parties.. .. And firft, to enable 
you to decide juftiy, we (hall briefly defcribe the lea- 
ders, moft confpicuous, and zealous fupporters of faid 
Pax tie*.... 

The fupporters of the late adminiitration of John A- 
dams, who have lately alfumed the name of Federal 
Republicans, and who continue their dppofition to the 
Ad.ninillration ox Thymas JefTerfon, are generally 
Lawyers, Oilice-holders, or Office-hunters, Monarc.h- 
iils,Arifbcrats, Proprietors of Bank Stock, Britifli Mer- 
chants, Britifh Agents, Tories, and Refugees ; The 
oppofers of John Adams' A dminiit ration, and fuppor- 
ters of Thomas Jefferfon's, called Democratic Repub- 
licans, are generally Farmers, Mechanics, American 
Merchants, and M)o6lors. The latter of thefe parties, 
at the end of the revolutionary war with Great Britain, 
concluding that the jultice, and equity of a Democrat- 
ic government, would unite all in one common intereft, 
wnulpecliiigl/ retired to their refpeclive occupations ; 



"frtft trie former, whole intertfis are as contrary to -that 
of the yeomanry of the United States, as darkneis to 
light, or vice to virtue, taking advantage of their inno- 
cent credulity, and inattention to the conduct of public 
©fricers, engrofied nearly all the offices civil and milita- 
ry in the United States ; they adopted an unjuft fun- 
ding fyftem, whereby our public debt was more than 
doubled ; they erected a number of Banks, and other 
iources of fpeculation, upon the Britiftiplan, and final- 
ly procured the election of John Adams to the prefi- 
dential chair, whole adminiftration exhibits a fcene, at 
once extravagant, oppreflive, deceptive, and tyranical, 
and fubverfive of the conftitution he was Iworn to fup- 
port. To prove this, we adduce the records of con- 
grefs, and other official documents, by which it will 
appear, that in twelve years of unexampled profperity, 
(according to their own repeated declarations on the 
floor of congrefs and elfewhere) they paid not a far- 
thing of our debt, but contrarywife increafed it nine 
millions four hundred thoufand dollars ; they borrow- 
ed eight millions of dollars, at the enormous intereft 
of eight per cent, paid quarterly, which enables the 
lender to double his money in lefs than eight years ; 
permiting at the fame time, twenty millions of dollars, 
to remain unaccounted for in the hands of public om> 
cers, for them to fpeculate upon. They multiplied fu- 
pernumerary officers, and foreign ambaiTadors, by 
which great fums of money was ufelefsly expended. 
They attempted to fupercede the Militia by a {landing 
army, and Volunteer corps ; they palled an excife law, 
and ftamp act, Cnames abhorrent to free-men) and di- 
vers other internal taxes ; alio a direct tax on Houfes, 
and lands, with orders to their afleflbrs to take an ac- 
count of the window lights ; all tending to increale ci- 
vil and military officers, dependent upon the executive, 
and independent of the people, to harrais, and eat 
out their fulftance, and force unconditional iubmiihon 
to unjuft and tyranical laws, fimilar to thofe of Great 
Britain, and other monarchical defpotic governments. 
They patronized and fuppoi ted a Britilli hireling prin- 



8 

ter, at the then feat of government, who in his Gazette^ 
avowed h's attachment to monarchical government, 
and his abhorrence of Democracies. They paffed an 
alien law, authorifing the President, to banifli from all 
the mod near and dear connections in life, any alien 
lie thought proper, without informing him of what he 
was accufed, or who was his accufer, in direct viola- 
tion of our excellent conflitution, which fecures to all 
peifons the right of trial by jury, and having compulfory 
procefs for their witneffes, and their accufer face :o face, 
and finally they paffed a {"edition law, to prevent an 
inveftigation of their conduct ; alfo in direct violation 
of our conftitution, which fecures to all Citizens free- 
dom of .fpeech and of the prefs ; entrenched behind 
thislaw, it was propofed by a member of Congrt fs, 
44 with a few bold ltrokes, to iilence all opposition ;" they 
accordingly proceeded under the laft mentioned un- 
conftitutional, and tyrannical law, and the common 
law of England, to fine, and imprifon, thofe Citizens, 
who unawed by tyrant's threats, determined at all e- 
vents to fupport the finking liberties of 'heir country. 
They treated the name of out Conftitution with con- 
tempt, and to the utmoft of their power deceived the 
unlearned and unfufpecYing part of the community, by 
reprefenting a democrat, (v\hich is the propVr name of 
every citizen of the United Stages who is attached to 
the government thereof) as foriiething diabolical, an 
enemy to religion, law, order, and good government; 
and to deter thofe whofe relig ous principles foibid 
war, from voting on the democratic sice, they declared 
that before the democrats mould carr) their point 
there lhould be bloodihed. 

i r l bus ktuated, in order to confer together upon the 
alarming fituation to which our beloved counuy was 
reduced by the fupporters of the above riieriti -d 
extravagant and I) mimical adniiniilraticn, a ftrudl i um- 
ber of democratic republicans, met unarmed, peaceably 
and conftitutionally, at a School-houie, the- private 
property of Aaron Chew, near the north bram . o| 
timber creek, on tht fcSihof Jul) ideo, where the then 



Sheriff of the county, came armed, and with him two 
lawyers, and the conftable of Deptford, and as he af- 
terwards declared, determined to give any one who 
fbould attempt to remove him, the contents of his Pif- 
tols, and being requefted to withdraw, by the faid 
Chew, he and his company refufed, upon which the 
Democrats peaceably retired to the dwelling houfe of 
Chew, where an addrefs was delivered by the chair- 
man, expreffive of the neceffity of a change of men and 
meafures ; unanimouily approved, and ordered to be 
publifhed, from which time, a few Democrats, fome- 
times not more than from five to ten, relying upon Di- 
vine mercy, and the Juftice of their cauie, continued 
their meetings, corresponded with their Democratic 
brethren in different parts of the State, and gradually 
increafed in number until the 4th of March 1801, 
when a Conftitution for a Democratic AiTociation pre- 
vioufly prepared and agreed upon by a meeting for 
that purpofe, held at the houfe of Ifaac Smallwood, was 
figned by a confiderable number of the citizens of this 
County, from which time the affociation have held their 
ftated and fpe.cial meetings, peaceably and publicly, 
inviting all their fellow-citizens to attend. Convinced 
that evil deeds only dread the light, that truth and 
reai'on are the only weapons that will eventually over- 
come and deftroy falf^hood and error ; we publifli our 
proceedings that all our fellow-Citizens may have an 
opportunity of judging for themfelves: Similar aflbcia- 
tions have fince been formed in Cumberland, Hunter- 
don, Burlington, and Cape- May, which we trull will 
fliortly dirTuie general information amongft the people, 
productive of as compleat a change of men and mea- 
sures, as hath been effected by fimilar aflociations in 
fourteen out of ieventeen of the United States. The 
happy and beneficial effect of the recent change of men 
and meafures, in the United States, exceeds the moft 
fanguine hopes of its advocates. The conduct of the 
preient adminiftration and majority in Congrefs, con- 
trailed with the latter, exhibits a fcene proptious to 
e<]ua4 liberty unparalelled in hilfoty. No alien law, to 

M 



expel from our peaceful (hcres, the helplefs and afflict- 
ted victims of despotic tyranny; no infamous gag law, to 
prevent opprefleri iuflerers from inveftigatmg and ex- 
poiing to public view the bafenefs of delpotic rulers, 
the exciie and ilampt ac"l and other unjuiVand oppref- 
ive internal taxes aboliihed, whereby liberty is refto- 
red to the Citizens, and more valuable articles of tax- 
ation to the refpective States, than will defray the ex- 
pence of the State governments ; more than two thou- 
fand ufelels officers difmifled, five millions and a half 
of our public debt difcharged in one year, and the ex- 
pellees of Government leffened more than one half, 
the expence of the United States government for year 
1800, being the lall year of John Adams alminillrati- 
on was 7,180,000 dollars, the eitimate for 1603, being 
the third of Thomas Jeflerion's, is under 3 cco.coo. 
leaving a balance in fa\ our or the prefent adininhtrau- 
on, of at leait 4,180,000 dollars. Hence it appears, 
that exclufive of the advantage derived to the refpect 
tive States by the repeal of the internal taxes, the bare 
laving i.i the United States government annually is 
iufheient in a fliort period of time to extinguith our 
public debt ; Religion flonriihes, in a degree hereto- 
fore unparalelled in the United States, and its benign 
influence is daily producing an increafe of happinefs, 
love, and harmony, amongit the Citizens of our peace- 
ful land, Takinginto view thefe circumitances we think 
ourielves in duty bound, to call upon our fellow Citi- 
zens, as they value the peace and happinefs of the 
prefent ana iucceeding generations, to join us in the 
iupport of the prefent juit, wife, and economical ad- 
miniitration of the United States and in promoting a 
reformation in this State where there is a powerful 
Arittocracy combined with a numerous train of law- 
yers, office holders, office hunters, ike. This party, if 
potTible to faceted at the entiling Election, have pri- 
vately aflociated and appointed iecrtt committees in 
each townfiiip under- the direction of a general com- 
mittee one of which whilft a member of Congrefs de- 
clared that the officers ol government were too few 
and their falaries from the. Prefident of the United 
.States down to the doorkeeper of the houie of Con- 



11 

grefs were too low, and that before the Democrats 
ihould carry their point there ihould be blood ihed ; 
which laid general committee, have directed the 
townitup committees, to folic it fubicriptions for the 
iupport of the Trenton Federalitt, a paper under 
the influence of the lawyers and their adherents, 
whole columns are generally filled with fophiitry, bale 
mil'reprefentations, and abi'olute faliehoods, many of 
which papers, we have good reaibu to believe, are dif- 
tribuled in this County, and ellewhere gratis, for the 
expreis purpofe of mhleadmg and deceiving the inno- 
cent, and uninformed part ot the community j and alfo 
to take the names of all the voters, male and fe- 
ll. ale, with a mark affixed to each name defignatino- 
their politics. This we conceive to be the moil 
daring, and dangerous attack upon the liberty of the 
people and the freedom of Election, ever attempted 
in any civilized Country, equalled only by the popifli 
inquiiubn, and muft coniequeutly meet the deteitation 
and aMiorence of all friends o j&itice and equal liberty. 
Having thus briefly informed our fellow-citizens of 
the original caule ot our atfociating together, and the 
happy effects already produced by iimiiar aflociations 
in producing a change of men and mealures highly be» 
mficiai to the intereit, peace, and happineis of the U- 
nited States, we conclude with folicitmg your particu- 
lar attention to the futility of all attempts made by in- 
dividuals to gain and retain their rights and liberties. 
Of many inltances that might be adduced to prove this 
fact, we fhall cite one which occurred in this county 
but ( a few years pail, when a number of the farmers, and 
mechanics, weary with the oppreffion and infolence of 
the ariitocrat and lawyer party, agreed to iupport a 
Farmer ticket in oppoiition to what was then called a 
Frce-mafon ticket, m which they completely lucceed- 
ed three years, but hawing no Hated meetings or per- 
manent alTociation, altho' greatly iuperior in numbers, 
their opponents by virtue of their frequent meetings 
and acting in concert, regained their aicendency over 
the people of the county. The fame party, with the 
addition of a few apoilates, now ftiling themfelves 
Federal Republicans, by deceptive, fophiltry, mi ire- 



12 

presentation and falfehood, continue to impofe upmt 
and miilead many of the innocent and uninformed citi- 
zens, by .which means they retain their power and 
continue their oppreifion. Againft fuch a powerfrL 
a-riftocracy, no force fufEcient can be raifed but the 
more powerful Democratic Affociations, confuting o' 
the virtuous yeomanry of the county :...We therefor, 
requeft all good citizens of the county to unite will 
ws in promoting thejult and amicable mode which we 
have adopted of fettling differences by arbitration, ir 
preference to the vexatious and expenilve mode novt 
praclifed in courts of judicature, and alfo in electing 
men to offices of truft and power, who will fimplify ouj 
laws in fuch a manner as to make lawyers ufelefs, b) 
which means many thoufands would be annually fav 
ed in the date, and difputes fettled fpeedily, whereb) 
love and harmony would be preferved in families am 
neighborhoods, and morality and virtue promoted a 
monglt mankind. Thefe are the views oi the Demo 
era tic Affociation of the county of Gloucefter, hoping 
that our actions uniformly correfponding therewitl 
will fpeedily produce the end contemplated by us, th< 
restoration of our fellow tiiizens to that ilate of equa 
liberty which is the inherent and unalienable right o 
all mankind; and earneftly praying that this our be 
loved country may be under the peculiar protec 
tion of Him who is Almighty in power, and ou 
councils directed by Him who is Infinite in wifdom 
that our liberties, civil and religious, may be eftabiilh 
ed upon an immovable bafis, and remain undiminflie* 
unto the lateft period of time, that all kinds of vice 
and immorality, may be increafingly fuppreffed, " an< 
pure and undented religion, as it is before God am 
the Father" more and more prevail, and that brotherl; 
love, peace, and good will, the certain attendants o 
true genuine piety may be afliduoufly cultivated b; 
every defcription of our citizens. 

We affectionately falute you, and remain 

your Friends and Brethren. 
Signed by order of the Meeting, 

JAMES SLOAN, President. 
Atttfl JACOB, G;LOV.fcR, Secretary. 



